Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Ireland

Ireland: Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) was 1.2% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
1.2%
Change on year
up 2.8%
World rank
185th
of 198 countries
All-time high
2.2%
in 1980
All-time low
1.0%
in 2012
Years of data
45
1980–2024

Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Ireland, 1980–2024

00.511.521980200220241980: 2.21981: 2.11982: 21983: 1.91984: 1.81985: 1.71986: 1.71987: 1.61988: 1.51989: 1.51990: 1.41991: 1.31992: 1.31993: 1.31994: 1.21995: 1.21996: 1.21997: 1.11998: 1.11999: 1.12000: 1.12001: 1.12002: 1.12003: 12004: 12005: 12006: 12007: 12008: 12009: 12010: 12011: 12012: 12013: 12014: 12015: 12016: 12017: 1.12018: 1.12019: 1.12020: 1.12021: 1.12022: 1.22023: 1.22024: 1.2

Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.

Analysis

Ireland recorded 1.2% for underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in 2024.

That represents a change of up 2.8% on the previous year and up 21.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Ireland peaked at 2.2% in 1980 and was at its lowest, 1.0%, in 2012.

That places Ireland 185th out of 198 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 45 years of available data.

Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Ireland, year by year

Annual values for Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) (%) in Ireland, 1980 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1980 2.2%
1981 2.1% -4.2%
1982 2.0% -4.2%
1983 1.9% -4.3%
1984 1.8% -4.3%
1985 1.7% -4.3%
1986 1.7% -4.3%
1987 1.6% -4.4%
1988 1.5% -4.4%
1989 1.5% -4.3%
1990 1.4% -4.0%
1991 1.3% -3.6%
1992 1.3% -3.5%
1993 1.3% -3.4%
1994 1.2% -3.1%
1995 1.2% -2.8%
1996 1.2% -2.5%
1997 1.1% -2.2%
1998 1.1% -1.8%
1999 1.1% -1.5%
2000 1.1% -1.3%
2001 1.1% -1.1%
2002 1.1% -0.9%
2003 1.0% -0.9%
2004 1.0% -0.8%
2005 1.0% -0.4%
2006 1.0% +0.1%
2007 1.0% +0.3%
2008 1.0% -0.0%
2009 1.0% -0.6%
2010 1.0% -1.1%
2011 1.0% -0.9%
2012 1.0% -0.2%
2013 1.0% +0.3%
2014 1.0% +0.8%
2015 1.0% +1.0%
2016 1.0% +1.2%
2017 1.1% +1.6%
2018 1.1% +1.9%
2019 1.1% +2.0%
2020 1.1% +2.1%
2021 1.1% +2.4%
2022 1.2% +2.4%
2023 1.2% +2.3%
2024 1.2% +2.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 1.8% 1.5% 2.2% 10
1990s 1.2% 1.1% 1.4% 10
2000s 1.0% 1.0% 1.1% 10
2010s 1.0% 1.0% 1.1% 10
2020s 1.2% 1.1% 1.2% 5

Countries ranked near Ireland

  1. 182 Norway 1.3% compare
  2. 183 Greece 1.3% compare
  3. 184 Finland 1.2% compare
  4. 186 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 1.2% compare
  5. 187 Kiribati 1.1% compare
  6. 188 Peru 1.0% compare

See the full ranking of 211 places →

More health data for Ireland

All data for Ireland →

Frequently asked questions

What is underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Ireland?
Underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Ireland was 1.2% in 2024, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
What is the highest underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) recorded in Ireland?
The highest recorded value was 2.2% in 1980.
What is the lowest underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) recorded in Ireland?
The lowest recorded value was 1.0% in 2012.
How does Ireland rank for underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate)?
Ireland ranks 185th out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
Is underweight among adults, bmi < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) rising or falling in Ireland?
Over the last ten years it is up 21.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Ireland data come from?
The figures come from World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as part of Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) in Ireland. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/underweight-among-adults-bmi-18-5-kg-m2-crude-estimate-percent/ireland/

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About this data

Indicator
Underweight among adults, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 (crude estimate) (%)
Source
World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory
Licence
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO)
Coverage
211 places, 9,495 data points, 1980–2024
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